security

Android devices will soon be working with native notifications that'll tell their user that their account has been used on a new device. When a user signs in on a new device, every other device they have (on Android) will see a notification telling them that they've had a sign-in on a new device. This will be helpful for people that are in danger of having their account stolen, as they'll already be aware of every time they themselves sign in, but will be able to protect themselves at first sign of any unusual activity.

Jailbreaking iOS gets a lot harder with every new release, so when a popular jailbreaking tool like Pangu releases one for the current iOS 9.3.3, there is unsurprisingly no small amount of rejoicing and excitement around it. Unfortunately, it seems that the euphoria was premature, as a number of jailbreakers discovered to their shock that there have been unauthorized accesses to critical private information, like credit cards, PayPal, and Facebook after they have jailbroken their iOS devices using the tool released by Pangu.

Facebook's acquisition of WhatsApp in early 2014 raised all sorts of red flags for security and privacy interest groups. Facebook, then and to some extent now, isn't exactly the epitome of those two values. Over time, WhatsApp has tried to assuage fears by implementing features such as end-to-end encryption. Apparently, that may be futile after all. Forensic scientist Jonathan Zdziarski revealed that, while the app does encrypt the messages it stores, it doesn't actually completely delete them and its backups still leave users open to spying or law enforcement.

As time goes on, Amazon keeps bolstering the smart home capabilities of Alexa. The company announced today that it's adding the first Alexa Skill for door locks, with the August Home Smart Lock getting the distinction of being the first smart lock that's Alexa-enabled. Now owners of Alexa devices like the Echo or Tap can lock their front doors or check if the doors are locked using Alexa voice commands.

Passwords are the first and last line of defense against getting hacked, which is why users are strongly advised to use strong and different passwords for each service. Keeping track of those, however, is more than our little brains can handle, which is why password managing services have thrived. But what if those services themselves become vulnerable? That was the situation LastPass found itself in when its web extensions were discovered to be exploitable and can be used to trick users into giving away their passwords. The good news is that LastPass has already addressed those issues, but should still serve as a warning to everyone.

We've not yet put our hands on the BlackBerry DTEK50, but based on our experience with the design it's based on, we can say that it's probably a pretty good Android phone. Have a peek at our most recent report on what BlackBerry has done to use Alcatel's design knowledge to create this new device. This is the DTEK50, a device that BlackBerry leads with suggesting is their thinnest smartphone ever - one with a great camera and top-notch security features.

The rise of high-profile hacking of Internet services, like the iCloudgate of recent memory, has put an emphasis on stronger security measures, like, for example, two-factor or two-step authentication. It seems, however, that not all two-factor systems are considered equal. A draft of an upcoming Digital Authentication Guideline to be published by the US National Institute for Standards and Technology or NIST may very well declare two-factor authentication that uses SMS as the second factor to be inherently insecure and, therefore, obsolete.

These days, privacy is no longer a simple matter and people, especially in "hot" areas can no longer simply presume their comings and goings aren't being monitored. While there are things like VPNs to keep Web traffic safe and private, the same cannot be said about smartphones. Chinese manufacturer Gionee believes that the market is ready, and in fact hungry, for a truly safe, secure, and private smartphone. That's the promise it is making with the new Gionee M6 and Gionee M6 Plus, dubbing it the safest smartphone in the world.

Edward Snowden and Andrew Huang have published details on a project that is intended to outline a device and methods that can be used to counter lawful abuses of digital surveillance. According to the abstract, journalists and other high-value targets could easily be the target of an enemy with the technology needed to pick up the information that your mobile devices like smartphones put out.

As of next month, Mozilla will have its Firebox browser block some Flash content, following the same trend we’ve seen with the other major Web browsers. Only non-essential Flash content will be blocked; this includes Flash elements that aren’t visible to the end user. As a result, says Mozilla, users will experience less issues with Flash crashing or causing the browser to hang. Battery life, page load speeds, Firefox’s responsiveness, and overall security will all be improved as a result.

Nest is taking its intelligent cameras outside with the launch of the Nest Cam Outdoor, a weatherproof version of its streaming security system that makes ease of use and simplicity of installation its twin priorities. It'll work with a new machine learning system intended to cut out false warnings from motion-triggered alerts, together with a redesign of Nest's app that will affect users of its entire range of smart home products.

Car hacks may very well be the next big battleground in cybersecurity, and Fiat Chrysler is the first automaker to put a bounty on bugs that could potentially cripple its vehicles - or worse. FCA US (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US) will offer security researchers up to $1,500 apiece for spotting potential security vulnerabilities, such as those discovered in its infotainment system which made headlines last year.